Immediate Action for Signs of Dental Emergency

If your child is displaying signs of a dental emergency, it’s important for you to take immediate action.

If the emergency happens during normal business hours and your child is a Kool Smiles patient, call your local Kool Smiles office to let them know about the emergency and then bring your child right in. By calling in advance, your local office will be able to prepare for the situation.

You may also call Kool Smiles and your call will be directed to the nearest office that can help.

If the emergency takes place after business hours and you are a Kool Smiles patient, call your local office and you will be directed to the dentist who is on call.

If you are not a Kool Smiles patient, call 911 or take your child to the nearest emergency room.

 

Recognizing a Dental Emergency

How do you know if a situation can wait for an appointment or requires immediate action? Seek immediate help from a dental professional if:

• A tooth is severely cracked, partially dislodged or knocked out completely. Taking the appropriate steps for a knocked out tooth can save the tooth and allow it to be put back in. It’s important to get to a dentist within 30 minutes of having a tooth knocked out.
• A filling or crown has been lost.
• There is a break in the wires or brackets of a set of braces.
• There is a painful and swollen bump on the gums. This could be an abscess and requires immediate attention from a dental professional to prevent damage to tissue and surrounding teeth.
• Gums, tongue, inside cheek or lips are bleeding and won’t stop.

According to the American Dental Association, a patient visits an emergency room once every 15 seconds with a dental emergency. Often, these emergencies are the result of not seeing a dentist on a regular basis, as problems with the teeth or gums can build up over time and then quickly turn into a dental emergency.

Make your child an appointment at Kool Smiles today and save them a trip to the emergency room tomorrow.